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"What? No, that's silly," Leia said dismissively.
"Why should he feel guilty about what Father did under the control of
the Emperor and the dark side? Luke forgave Father at Endor. You were
there--you saw."
Han frowned. "Well--maybe it didn't turn out to be that simple for
Luke. After all, a few billion people around the galaxy are still
pretty unhappy with dear old Dad."
"You don't have to remind me about that," said Leia, shrugging into a
white robe and tying the sash in a bow. "But I'm the one who has to
deal with it, not Luke. I'm the one who gets accused and screamed at
and threatened, not Luke. And I'm handling it."
As she was speaking, she moved toward the bedroom door. When she
reached it, she stopped and turned back toward Han, still sitting
bare-chested on the bed in a jumble of sheets. "No, I'm sure you're
wrong. That's not why Luke's coming here. He seemed---excited.
Almost happy."
Han surrendered. "All right. Whatever you say.
Where are you going?"
"I've been keeping notes on the children. I want to bring them up to
date before Luke arrives." She threw him a quick smile and disappeared
through the doorway.
"I guess we're done here, then," he said to himself.
Sighing, he climbed out of bed. "I've got a bad feeling about this.
Oh, yes, I do."
Even in the middle of the night, it wasn't possible for Luke Skywalker
to make a quiet visit to the Chief of State of the New Republic. The
entire area sur rounding the president's residence was secured
airspace and protected by its own local shield generator. That ruled
out a convenient landing right on the grounds, or even close by.
Instead, Luke was directed to land his E-wing on a military pad at
Eastport. Even before he could climb out of the cockpit, a sizable
crowd of ground crew and other port workers gathered at the pad. But
it was different from the kind of crowds Han still drew. Everyone hung
back, even after Luke jumped down from the cockpit to the tarmac.
It was as though they couldn't pass up a chance to see Luke Skywalker
but were too intimidated by his status to risk trying to shake his
hand, clap him on the back, or even speak to him. He felt less a
celebrity than a curiosity, more a dead legend than a living hero.
Luke wished they would all just go away. He had no interest in being
celebrity or curiosity, legend or hero.
"Security Protocol One, Artee," he said. As the E-wing's canopy and
engine intake covers closed, Luke strode toward the airspeeder waiting
for him just outside the landing circle. The crowd parted for him in
silence.
But their excitement buffeted him, and their ambivalence tore at him.
He heard them whispering to each other, read their faces, and he filled
in the rest.
Children--you'll never guess who I saw at the port tonight-He's here?
What did he say? How did he seem?
Where did he go? I wonder what it means.
The airspeeder was a standard government model, with a speed governor,
an altitude limiter, and a pilot droid at the controls. To Luke, it
was as welcome a sight as an escape pod on a doomed ship.
"President's residence, north entrance," Luke said. He seemed so
serious--So mysterious-He floated to the ground like a leaf--He was as
close to me as I am to you--He smiled at
"I never thought I'd have a chance to meet him--You can tell just
looking at him that he's a Jedi-You can tell just looking at him what
he's been through-Luke closed his eyes in relief as the airspeeder took
flight.
While they were waiting for Luke, Han had lingered in the front rooms,
thinking that he might be able to get to his friend first and warn him
what his sister was expecting. But when the signal from the north
gatehouse finally came, Leia was past Han and out the door before he
knew it.
"Let him in," Han told the gate guard resignedly, and hurried after his
wife.
He caught up just as Leia and Luke met on the north garden trail.
"Leia," Luke said with a warm smile, and they embraced.
"I knew you'd come," Leia said, kissing him on the cheek and taking his
arm. "I knew you'd change your mind. I can't tell you how glad I am
to see you.
How long can you stay?"
"We have some work to do together," Luke said.
"I don't know how long it will take. And then I have some things to
tell you. Hello, Han." Luke clapped the taller man on the back with
his free hand. "It's good to see you again.
"You don't know the half of it, kid," Han said wryly.
"Come on--let's go inside," Leia said. "Did they make you leave your
bag at the gatehouse? That's so foolish of them-"I didn't bring a
bag," Luke said. "I didn't plan on staying. But if it's too late for
you, I can pass the night out here, and we can work in the morning.
I've always liked these gardens."
Leia stopped, turning toward Luke and frowning.
"I think I've missed something here, she said. "The children are
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